Beg. Reading

I was hoping this would post better than it did. This is what I start with after my kids know sounds, ABC, abc, and of course basic sounding out principles. Once they know those I start on these. If you want a better copy email me and I will give you the word file. I guess I am too dumb to figure out how to post it as a word file in the first place. Anyway the trick with these, is that you don't go on to the next page, until you are perfect at this one. Re-print this everyday if you have to, until they start to get it. I scanned 3, and I have about 30 of these that I will post another day.

One of my favorites!

Dr. Jean is one of my favorites of kids music! You can see her stuff at her website http://www.drjean.org/ She also has activities, ways to purchase individual songs, or whole cd's, utube links, etc!In Dr. Jean Sings Silly Songs, my favorites are: Bubblegum and Katalina Matalina Dr. Jean and Friends has these as my favorites: Tooty Ta, Macarena Months, Days of the Week.

But now I want the Math is fun CD, Nursery Rhyme one, and a few others. Anyway if you are looking for some new music here are some ideas. Also you can get these on I-tunes!

School Book!

When I teach preschool, I always make sure to take lots and lots of pictures. I also think it is important to save their special art work, and writings. (In an older post you have seen how I do writing their name.) I save all school year and then make each child a scrapbook that they can take home and either add with their own scrapbook, or they can keep it like I made it, so they can read it over and over again on their own. I also divide the book into categories, to make it easier to track their progress. This is a small sampling of one I did for my daughter, when she was in preschool years and year ago. Physical:Language:Cognitive:Social:Creative: Affective:

I do this also for my kids. Every Summer I take all the things I have gathered and make them into a school scrapbook. I always add it to their regular scrapbook. When they get old enough, they get to do their own, which also increases their creativity.

Now I know that lots of you now Digital Scrapbook. So my idea for you is that you actually scan your child's papers and art work into the computer, so you can digitally do your thing. Scanning is so fast and I think you will really like the final look.

So you might be wondering how I got little notes on each picture and just in general of her. What I did was I took a notes every day on a clip board and of things each child said through out the day. Then typed them up everyday when the kids left.

For your own kids, you have to come up with some way that works for you in making notes and being the busy Mom. What I do is have a paper on the side of the fridge that has 6 months worth of months. When they do something cute, or say something cute then I just write it under the month we are in and put the child's name.

Before this way, I used index cards in a box and then would actually put the index card in their scrapbook stuff.

My friend Chrissie keeps little note books of each of her children and when they something funny, she stops what she is doing and writes it in their book.

Mother's Helper

I have a friend that for years has employed a older lady to be a Mother's helper to her. Now she said she is not a nanny, because a nanny is someone who takes over. She says that she is right in the trenches with her and that makes her a Mother's helper. So having thought about it and knowing my husband has four companies on the side, I decided to get a Mother's helper. I decided I wanted someone between the ages of 16 and 18 so that I could get help with driving if needed as well. I am paying for a couple of hours a day to do any of the following that I choose: driving, cleaning, tutoring, yard work, babysitting, cooking, or just helping me in anyway possible. I am going to start this week, and continue through the Summer. I am so excited. So if you are in the same place as me, that things are crazy and hectic, think maybe about a Mother's helper. And thanks to the wonderful, cute man that I love that suggested the whole thing. Love you babe.